Local Group Outfits Elementary Students with Helmets

Tragedy struck in Mid-May when a local fourth grader was struck by a car while riding her bike. According to police reports, she was legally riding on the street in the bicycle lane at about 7:20 a.m. The driver of a Ford Edge allegedly did not see her riding, and therefore did not yield right of way. The young girl was flown to Sacred Heart Hospital, but died from her injuries.

Charges in the case are pending. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, incidents such as this are treated as criminal investigations until the point it is proven there was no crime committed. Such investigations can take anywhere between 30 and 60 days.

The girl’s classmates and teachers at Hellen Caro Elementary were devastated by the news, saying she was always someone who wanted to spread happiness. As they finished out the school year, a local safety group decided to take action in an effort to make sure something like this didn’t happen again.

Members of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Traffic Safety Team came to the school to present a gift: bicycle helmets. The team brought enough helmets for the approximately 840 students at the school, and took the time to fit each student with the right helmet. When the team contacted school administrators about fitting each student with a helmet, with was no hesitation in accepting the offer.

One of the girl’s classmates explained that, though he always wore a helmet while riding his bike, he appreciated the Escambia-Santa Rosa Traffic Safety Team’s gift. He said his friends and peers might not wear helmets when they ride because it’s not cool to do so, or they copy adults who don’t wear helmets when they ride.

When a car collides with a bicycle rider, the injuries are often the same as in pedestrian accidents, as there is little protection for either pedestrians or bicyclists. If you have been injured in a bicycle or pedestrian accident in Pensacola, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the attorneys at Emmanuel, Sheppard & Condon today for a free consultation.